Hope for Tomorrow

 Gepher and I are very excited about the newest ministry and dream God has laid on our hearts for the church in Naga, "Hope for Tomorrow".  Hope for Tomorrow is an opportunity to provide a better future one child at a time.  Hope for Tomorrow is a opportunity to show the love of Jesus to a child and their family by meeting the educational needs of a child.  Hope for Tomorrow is a gift...a gift for a brighter tomorrow, a gift of encouragement, a gift of love for a child and their family, and a gift we hope you will want to become involved in.



Dear Friends and Family,

For the past seven years, the Philippines and its people has held a special place in my heart.  Their smiles and spirit have left a lasting impression that has forever changed my life.  God took my love for the people of the Philippines to a whole new level when He brought Gepher into my life.  We each found the one God had been preparing for us; as both a life partner and someone to serve side by side growing the kingdom of God in the Philippines.

Every day I am in the Philippines I am reminded of what true happiness means and just how much we as Americans take for granted.  One of the biggest things we take for granted is a public school system that allows every child the opportunity to go to school despite their family’s income.  The school system will not allow a child to enroll in school if they cannot afford to provide their uniform, school supplies, transportation, lunch, and supplies for various school projects.  Even though the school system is supported by the government, the funding they receive is very minimal and therefore requires the student’s family to shoulder most of the expense. 

The Filipino family today has 4.61 children on an average yearly income of $4,700.  Sending an entire family of children to school would require 25% of a family’s yearly income.  Unfortunately many families are put in situations where they must choose which children they can financially afford to send to school.  These decisions are part of the reason why the country’s literacy rate is 86.4% and their enrollment rate is 85% for elementary and 62% for high school.  Gepher and I cannot imagine how tough these decisions must be for a parent as they decide the future of their children.

Gepher grew up in a family where education was a priority.  He is from a family of educators that value education and believe it is the key to a better future.  It’s for these reasons we are establishing “Hope for Tomorrow”.  “Hope for Tomorrow” will give one child a chance at a better future through the gift of education.  It is through education the cycle of poverty begins to break in the Philippines one person at a time.  “Hope for Tomorrow” will also provide the emotional support a child needs to be successful in school and in life.  A child can only succeed if they have a community to encourage and support.  “Hope for Tomorrow” is an outreach ministry of the church to the community.  It’s a chance to show the love of Jesus, to not only the student but also their family.  It is our prayer that God will use “Hope for Tomorrow” as an avenue to share the love of Jesus with both the students and their families.

There are two ways you can help be a part of “Hope for Tomorrow”.  The first is through financially supporting a child.  The Filipino school year runs from June to March.  For $250 a year (or $25 a month) you can send one child to school.  This will cover the costs of their uniforms, school supplies, books, food, transportation as well as supplies for school projects.  Gepher and I want you to be a part of the child’s life (if you wish); therefore, we will send you information on the child as well as pictures and progress updates.  The investment you can make in a child’s life is priceless when you consider how little it financially costs us.

There is a fund set up at Southside Church of Christ where your support can be sent either monthly or in a one lump sum.  Please be sure to indicate on the checks the funds should go to “Philippine Ministry – Hope for Tomorrow”.

Southside Church of Christ
Philippine Ministry Fund – Hope for Tomorrow Scholarship
1521 Nicholasville Rd
Lexington, KY  40503

The second way you can help is by becoming a prayer warrior for a child.  We will pair you up with a child giving you details about them, their family, and their school situation.  Having an army of prayer warriors praying for both the spiritual and academic needs of the “Hope for Tomorrow” children will open doors for God to work in ways we cannot imagine.

Gepher and I would love to talk with you more about the work in Naga and Hope for Tomorrow.  We both can be reached via Facebook or email (vandykead@aol.com or freekingl@yahoo.com).   I’m currently in Cebu but will be returning to the states in May.  We can be reached in Cebu on the VOIP 859-559-4099.  We would love to talk with you more about this and the other ways God is working in Naga.

Gepher and I are excited about the ways God is working in Cebu and specifically Naga.  We are eager to see how He will use “Hope for Tomorrow” to touch hearts and change lives.  Follow our journey at http://andrea-gepher.blogspot.com to see how God is working in the community of Naga.  We hope that you will join us either financially or prayerfully as we work to change the future of the Philippines one child at a time.

Sincerely,

Andrea VanDyke & Gepher Lopina